Chapter 57: Like Men?! What Kind of Nonsense Is This?!

Fang Xu had no idea that Qiu Chuji was a woman, nor did he even know there were any women in the Quanzhen Daoist Temple. Moreover, Fang Xu never connected the woman he had seen earlier with Qiu Chuji, as the impressive figure of that woman’s chest seemed worlds apart from the flatness of Qiu Chuji’s own. This was precisely why Fang Xu failed to realize that Qiu Chuji was the very woman he had encountered.

Yet, even in ignorance, Fang Xu greedily inhaled the faint scent of peach blossoms mixed with the unique fragrance emanating from Qiu Chuji. That night, Fang Xu slept with an unprecedented sense of ease, and Qiu Chuji, too, found herself enchanted by the warmth beside her.

Since her fellow disciples and the temple master had descended the mountain to resist the barbarian invaders, Qiu Chuji had lived in constant anxiety. There was no help for it; after all, she was but a lone woman guarding the vast Quanzhen Daoist Temple. To claim she felt no fear would be mere self-deception.

But what of it, even if she was afraid? Qiu Chuji could not abandon the temple. To her, the Quanzhen Daoist Temple was as precious as her own home—how could she possibly forsake it?

Because of the temple’s dilapidated state and its remote location, few visitors came to offer incense, which had, in a way, preserved Qiu Chuji’s safety. Still, she wished fervently for the temple to flourish, so the master and her brothers at the front lines might know she was well, giving them peace of mind to defend Great Qin and protect her safety.

Yet Qiu Chuji understood that, alone, she could not achieve this. She could not guarantee the temple’s prosperity by herself. Unbeknownst to her, Fang Xu’s arrival had given the Quanzhen Daoist Temple new life.

At this moment, Qiu Chuji had not yet realized any of this. Previously, when sleeping alone, she had always been cautious, fearful that something might happen. Now, with Fang Xu’s gentle snoring beside her, she felt an unfamiliar sense of ease, her lips curving slightly as she drifted into a deep sleep.

As time passed, Fang Xu slowly became aware of the numbness in his arm. There was little he could do—who could endure having someone use their arm as a pillow all night? Though Qiu Chuji seemed light, her weight still slowed the blood flow in Fang Xu’s arm, causing it to go numb.

When Fang Xu opened his eyes, the scene before him left him utterly bewildered. Qiu Chuji lay in his embrace, her head resting on his arm, hands tightly clutching his collar, as if she were about to strike him. Yet, somehow, gazing at Qiu Chuji’s sleeping face, Fang Xu felt reluctant to wake her.

Despite the dull ache in his arm, Fang Xu found himself indifferent to the pain as he looked at Qiu Chuji. “Who would have thought? Even a young Daoist from Great Qin could be this delicate,” he mused, captivated by the baby-smooth complexion of the girl in his arms. Her trembling eyelashes seemed unusually lush—was this a trait of Qin people?

“Wait—something’s not right!” Fang Xu suddenly realized the emotions stirring within him. Staring wide-eyed at Qiu Chuji, he broke into a cold sweat, his lips twitching. He was certain, after all, that the body he had crossed into was male—so why did he now feel a primal desire for Qiu Chuji?

He liked women, didn’t he? How could he feel such uncontrollable impulses toward a young Daoist boy? Was it possible that, because of his journey through time, he now fancied men?

This realization shocked Fang Xu, leaving him speechless and his mouth agape.

Fang Xu’s face remained frozen in astonishment while his mind was in turmoil. Was it true? Did he really like men? What kind of madness was this?

Meanwhile, Qiu Chuji, still half-asleep, stirred slightly in Fang Xu’s arms, rubbing her drowsy eyes and seemingly unaware of his presence. Fang Xu dared not move, unable to explain himself should anyone misunderstand. If Old Wu and the others thought the wrong thing, how could he ever face Qin Suwen again?

“Huh? Brother Fang, why are you here?” Qiu Chuji blinked and gazed sleepily at Fang Xu.

The moment she spoke, Qiu Chuji suddenly recalled the events of the previous night. Seeing Fang Xu’s stunned expression, she instinctively clutched her clothes tighter.

“Did he discover I’m a woman?” she wondered, anxiety and embarrassment coloring her cheeks.

Fang Xu, however, misinterpreted Qiu Chuji’s reaction, thinking she was about to explode in anger. Luckily for him, Qiu Chuji did not cry out; otherwise, even the Yellow River could not wash away his innocence.

“Um… uh… cough…” Fang Xu, confronted by Qiu Chuji’s wary gaze, found himself at a loss for words, panic rising within him. The thought that he might now prefer men filled his mind, especially as he looked at Qiu Chuji’s delicate, feminine features, confirming his suspicions of some lingering side effect.